Improvement in potato-diggers



N. VANDENBURGH.

Potato Digger.

Patented Oct. 18, 1870..

Inventer.

. NICHOLAS VANDENBURGH, OF SOHUYLERSVILLE, NEW YORK.

Letters PatentNo. 108,537, dated October 18, 1870.

IMPROYEMENT IN POTATO-DIGGERS.

The Schedule'refelred to in these Letters Patent and making part et the sane T0 all whomit may con cern:

Be it known that I, NICHOLAS VANDENBURGH, of Schnylersville, in the county ofSaxatogaand in the StateofNew York, have invented certain new and nseful Improvernents in PotatoDigger; and do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompan yin g drawing and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making apart of this specification.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangement of a potato-digger, as Will be hereinafter fnlly set forth.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, referring to the annexed drawing, in whicl1 Figure 1 is a side view, and Figure 2, a plan view of my machine. A represents a box or frame, of any snitable dimensions, inonnted upon wheels.

Through the center of this box passes a horizontal shaft, a, on which, near' each end, within the box, is placed a circular flange, b.

Thisflange is, by a series of slotted cnrved amis, B B, connected with a rim, 0, as shown in fig. l.

Through each set of slotted arms B B, that is, throngh the corresponding arms at each end of the shaft, passes a rod, d,provided with a numberol teeth, e c, whichpass between guide-rods f f, connecting the outeredges of the two rims O 0, at or opposite the ends of the slottod arms B B.

Aronnd theoutside of the two rims C C, and connecting the same, should be a cylinder, provided with holes for the teeth c a to pass tlnongh; said cylinder also to have a projecting flauge around each end. lhis whole cylinder, with its interior mechanism, to be revolved by means of suitable gearing, connected with one or both of the drlving-wheels.

As the cyliuder revolves, a pin, 71 on the outside of each rim O, strikes a lever, D, pivoted on the inside of the box A; the other end of said lever then strikes the end of the rod d, forcing the same to the outer end ofthe arm B.

As soon as the pin h bas passed the lever D, a spring, E, retnrns said lever to its original position, to be again tu rned by the next pin, and to operate the next rod.

Tire rod (Z, having been moved to the outer end of the anus B, the teeth e e projecting asuitable distance beyond the cylinder or casing, the rod is held there while the cylinder maires about one-lialt of a revolntion,

by means of the fiange G, which is secured on't-h e inside of the box, and on the outside of which fiange the end of the rod [l moves.

'While the teeth are in this position, they enter the hill and corne under the potatoes, carrying thu saine arranged for that purpose on the back of the cylinder.

Having thus 1llydescribed my invention,

\Vhatl daim as new, and desire. to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The slotted anus B B, connecting theflange I) and rim C, and forming guides for the rakes d e, in

whicli the same are moved out and in, substantially as and forthe pnrposes herein set forth.

2. The combination -of the shaft a, flange b, slotted arms B B, rirn 0,,pins h 71, lever D, spring E, and Carns or flanges G G and H, ail constructed and atranged to operate substanfiially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I have herennto set my hand this 16th day of September, 1870.

NICHOLAS VANDENBURGH. Witnesses .A. N. MARK,

A. A. YEATMAN. 

